Research and Innovation Office

Internal Funding Opportunities

This table lists the internal funding opportunities available at the University of Minnesota.

  • For more information on any opportunity click the program title to open the sponsor's website in a new window.
  • To jump to a specific month, follow the links right above the table. Opportunities with ongoing deadlines accept applicants year round while opportunities with multiple deadlines have more than one deadline during each calendar year.
  • Each column is sortable; just click on the title to resort by that column.

Colleges/units can use this page to advertise internal opportunities. If you have an internal funding opportunity you'd like to list here, please send the title, deadline, brief description, and a URL for more information to Kristin Mead, mead0009@umn.edu or facgrant@umn.edu.

SponsorTitleMax AwardCategoryEligibilityDeadline
Research and Innovation Office (RIO)Research Infrastructure Investment ProgramSee sponsor for detailsInfrastructureU of M FacultyApril
Research Computing (RC)RC Medium/Large Seed Grants$120,000InterdisciplinaryU of M Faculty, P&AApril
Cannabis Research Center - School of Public HealthSpring 2025 Small Grants RFA$50,000Public HealthU of M FacultyApril 1, 2025
Minnesota Invasive Terrestrial Plants and Pests CenterMITPPC Request for ProposalsSee sponsor for detailsInterdisciplinaryU of M Faculty, ROC Researchers, Post-DocsApril 2025
Institute on the Environment (IonE)Spring 2025 Mini Grants$3,000Environment / Natural ResourcesU of M Faculty, Staff, StudentsApril 27, 2025
Masonic Cancer CenterAmerican Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant$40,000Cancer ResearchAssistant Professors or Equivalent - Underrepresented Minority InvestigatorApril, 14, 2025
Masonic Cancer CenterCRTI Translational Working Group (TWG) Award 2025$100,000Cancer ResearchFull MCC Member With Faculty AppointmentApril, 14, 2025
Masonic Cancer CenterMCC Catchment Community Pilot Grants$100,000Cancer ResearchAcademic Researcher (Faculty with MCC Membership) and Community PartnerApril, 14, 2025
Masonic Cancer CenterMezin-Koats Colon Cancer Research Award 2025$50,000Cancer ResearchMCC Member with Faculty AppointmentApril, 14, 2025
Masonic Cancer CenterRIS Foundation Sarcoma Research Grant 2025$50,000Cancer ResearchU of M FacultyApril, 14, 2025
Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)Community Partnership Seed Grant$5,000Health EquityUniversity Researchers and Community MembersAugust 13, 2025
Academic Affairs and Provost, Office of the SR VP forImagine Fund Special Events Grant Program - SpringSee sponsor for detailsArts & HumanitiesU of M Faculty - Tenured/Tenure-trackFebruary
Research and Innovation Office (RIO)Grant-in-Aid of Research, Artistry & Scholarship ProgramSee sponsor for detailsIndependent ResearchU of M FacultyFebruary
Minnesota Sea GrantMinnesota Sea Grant 2026-2028 Biennial RFP$200,000InterdisciplinaryNon-Federal Researchers in MinnesotaJanuary
Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea GrantMinnesota-Wisconsin Sea Grant Joint 2026-2028 Biennial RFP$200,000InterdisciplinaryJoint Team of MN and WI-based ResearchersJanuary
Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA)Community Action Research Grant$45,000InterdisciplinaryU of M FacultyMarch
Children's Cancer Research FundPediatric Cancer Survivorship Research Award$100,000Cancer ResearchU of M FacultyMarch
Institute on the Environment (IonE)2025 Impact Goals Request for Proposals$200,000InterdisciplinaryU of M Faculty, P&AMarch
Research and Innovation Office (RIO)Social Justice Impact Grants$50,000Human Rights / Social JusticeU of M FacultyMarch
UMN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) InitiativeSDG (Sustainable Development Goal) Research Grants$20,000InterdisciplinaryFaculty and Academic/Research StaffMarch
Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA)Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban and Regional Affairs$40,000InterdisciplinaryU of M FacultyMarch
RIO Technology CommercializationSoftware Startup Development Program$10,000Digital TechnologyUMN Faculty, Researchers, Post-docs, Staff, All StudentsMarch 21, 2025
Center for Global Health and Social ResponsibilityGlobal Health Seed Grants$25,000Health SciencesU of M FacultyMay
Research and Innovation Office (RIO)Innovation Impact Case Award$10,000Research Impact and InnovationUMN Faculty and Researchers - systemwideMay 12, 2025
Center for Healthy Aging and InnovationFesler-Lampert Chair in Aging Studies$40,000Public HealthU of M FacultyMay 16, 2025
RIO Technology CommercializationEarly Innovation Fund$10,000Technology InnovationUMN Researchers and Employees - Faculty, Postdocs, Grad Students, StaffMay 23, 2025
Institute for Diversity, Equity, and Advocacy (IDEA)Faculty Driven See sponsor for detailsDiversity, Equity and AdvocacyU of M FacultyMultiple
Global Programs and Strategy Alliance (GPSA)International Travel Grants$1,000 - $5,000International Projects / TravelU of M Faculty, P&A, Post Docs, and ResearchersMultiple
Human Rights Initiative (HRI)Human Rights Initiative Request for Proposals$50,000Human Rights / Social JusticeU of M Faculty, P&ANovember
Research Computing (RC)RC Medium/Large Seed Grants$120,000InterdisciplinaryU of M Faculty, P&AOctober
Center for Global Health and Social ResponsibilityGlobal Engagement Grants$15,000Global Engagement and Capacity BuildingU of M Faculty, Staff, Grad StudentsOctober
Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)ODAT Translational FundingSee sponsor for detailsClinical ResearchU of M FacultyOngoing
Research Computing (RC)RC Small Seed Grants$10,000InterdisciplinaryU of M Faculty, P&AOngoing
Research and Innovation Office (RIO)Grant-in-Aid of Research, Artistry & Scholarship ProgramSee sponsor for detailsIndependent ResearchU of M FacultySeptember
Academic Affairs and Provost, Office of the SR VP forImagine Fund Special Events Grant Program - FallSee sponsor for detailsArts & HumanitiesU of M Faculty - Tenured/Tenure-trackSeptember
Center for Global Health and Social ResponsibilityNIH Fogarty Global Health Fellowship$10,000Global HealthGrad Students / Post-DocsSeptember
For questions, please contact RIO's Research Advancement group.